Novillada at Malaga

Do you remember the novillero Gallen at Malaga?
Do you remember his second bull, the little one,
That got to him and tossed him and how Gallen ran after him
Slapping at his flank and turned him around
Punching at his head and cursing him.

Do you remember the Swedes that hooted him?
They sat behind us in the sun cheering for the bull
Cheering loudest when the little bull got at Gallen again.

But then he dusted himself,
And asked for the muleta.
Gallen brought the animal forward with a natural,
Then passed him closer,
Then passing him slower and more emotional still,
La Malagueta quickly silent,
Gallen controlling the bull around him
With passes each slower and still closer
And finally releasing the emotion with the pase de pecho.

The bull, tongue hanging, was reduced.

Gallen walked away from him, glaring at the quieted Swedes.
Gallen turned back to him, and sighting with the estoca
Gallen advanced upon him, sweeping low with the muleta
And swording him smoothly between the shoulders to the hilt
The bull dropped.

The cheering from the shade would not end and
They cut him both ears and the tail
And after they finished cheering him in the shade
Gallen came to us in the sun
And tossed the bloody bull elements among the Swedes.
The Swede behind us caught an ear and dropped it, horrified.
Do you remember the bloody ear in the sun at Malaga?

copyright 2007 Peter Dahlstrand
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